Resources · Guide
The Virginia Graeme Baker Act: A Compliance Guide for Pool Owners
For a quick one-paragraph answer, see What Is the VGB Act?
Named for a seven-year-old who died of suction entrapment, the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act is the federal law meant to ensure no other child suffers the same fate.
What the VGB Act requires
The VGB Act requires public pools and spas to use drain covers that meet a federal anti-entrapment standard, and requires certain pools with a single main drain to install a second layer of protection, such as a safety vacuum release system (SVRS).
- Anti-entrapment drain covers on all drains
- A backup safety system for single-drain pools
- Compliance for public and many semi-public pools
Why it matters
Suction entrapment can hold a swimmer underwater or cause catastrophic internal injuries in seconds. The VGB Act exists because these tragedies are almost entirely preventable with compliant equipment.
When the law is ignored
Despite the law, many pools were never properly retrofitted and some non-compliant products remained in use. When an owner or manufacturer fails to meet the standard and someone is harmed, families may have a claim. Our firm helped litigate the landmark suction-entrapment case behind our $104 million verdict.
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